Lebanon finally has a new president after a two-year stalemate

Actions

Actions

Lebanon has gone more than two years without a president. This was the 46th attempt of Lebanon's Parliament to pick a president after 29 months.

Aoun, a Christian, is backed by the Shiite Islamist group Hezbollah; his candidacy was blocked by the Sunni group Future Movement until a political deal was struck, the BBC reports. That group's leader, Saad Hariri, will reportedly become prime minister.

The political gridlock has paralyzed Lebanon's government as it grapples with the arrival of one million refugees, many from neighboring Syria.